Stories

Many residents in the farmworker community of Goshen, CA, were living in substandard conditions. Self-Help Enterprises stepped in to develop a space that combined health, housing and recreation. 

As neighborhoods throughout Boston undergo revitalization, starting a small locally-owned business is particularly difficult. Nuestra Comunidad aims to give creative entrepreneurs the essential funding, support and influence they need to thrive.

Decades of urban decline had a chilling effect on Kensington, PA. New Kensington CDC stepped in to rebuild the community's social cohesion, with an emphasis on arts and community.

The Long Branch neighborhood of East Silver Spring, MD, struggled with a lack of investment, blight and crime. Montgomery Housing Partnership's goal was to revitalize the area, help businesses and preserve the character of the neighborhood.

The foreclosure crisis hit New Albany, Indiana's Midtown neighborhood hard, emptying 15 percent of the 900 homes. The community had reached a crossroad—either suffers continuing disinvestment or fight back and reverse the slide. They chose the latter. ​

For decades, a boarded-up factory created an eyesore in Kingston, NY. The neighborhood, where a quarter of the residents are black or Latino, needed a boost to promote stability and economic opportunities.

When a highway development cut through the King Lincoln District in Columbus, OH, residents of the formerly culturally rich neighborhood were forced to leave. An innovative approach was needed to revitalize the neighborhood.

In Syracuse, New York, the SALT District suffered from severe disinvestment for decades. In response, Home HeadQuarters aimed to bring diversity, wealth and health to the community. 

To build up a distressed St. Louis, Better Family Life tapped residents to take on community outreach and sustainable leadership.

When the only public park had deteriorated over the years, Little Dixie Community Action Agency formed a youth-led coalition that presented a plan of action to the city council.